Air Motion Systems and INX International Ink Team to Unveil Bundle Program

Article
Sep 11, 2013

Tuesday afternoon, Air Motion Systems Inc. (AMS) and INX International Ink Co. joined forces at PRINT 13 to introduce a new opportunity for sheet-fed offset printers.

These PSPs can bundle their LED curing systems and printing ink needs into one complete printing solution. “We believe the benefits of both AMS award-winning LED UV curing system and the all-new UV LED inks from INX International are a win-win for all,” the two companies announced in a joint statement.

As part of the presentation, Stephen J. Metcalf, president and CEO of River Falls, Wisc.-based Air Motion Systems, Inc., took his audience through a short history of UV LED and outlined the huge strides the technology has made in the last half decade.

What is LED printing? It’s a better form of UV printing, which uses high intensity UV light that penetrates inks and coatings, taking them from liquid to polymer, Metcalf said. With UV LED today, he added, print service providers enjoy top production speeds, as fast as presses run; instant drying, no marking and no need to deal with bulbs.

Compared with ordinary UV there is no heat, Metcalf said. “It’s pure UV,” he adds. “There is intense energy, but just at work in the curing process.”

There is also no warm up. In traditional UV, it can take 30 minutes to warm up, and there is a cool-down period as well, Metcalf said. LED dispenses with both.

In addition to eliminating need to deal with bulbs, UV LED ends mercury or Ozone exposure. “Pressmen really notice the difference when running with LED,” Metcalf says.

“Fast installation is another benefit. The press is down for two to three weeks when installing UV. With AMS, these modules drop in to the press. They’re mobile and can eventually be taken from your current equipment to your new press.”

The AMS system goes in all presses, and not just those designed for UV. “It can go into any machine,” Metcalf says. “This can trump anything you have seen.”

Examining the market, Metcalf reported that his company has more than 100 installations, and those have involved presses from a wide array of manufacturers. Many of the companies adding the system have realized incredible ROI. “Some of the testimonials we’ve gotten from our customers have surprised even us,” he says.

For more information on the Bundle Program, contact Dave Sambo of INX at 314-835-7960 or Hans Ulland of AMS at 715-425-5600.